Coffee + Dark Chocolate Bark

I’m not sure why Christmas has declared itself the chocolate bark holiday. Yet for some reason around this time of year, you can find these decadent chunks of chocolate in nearly every grocery store or at almost any holiday party. While I personally vote for it being around all year long, I’ve officially jumped on the Christmastime chocolate bark bandwagon.

I don’t normally have a huge sweet tooth, so I try to find any excuse I can to add a bit of bitterness or salt to desserts. This recipe for Coffee + Dark Chocolate Bark hit all those notes. I prefer dark chocolate that’s between 70% and 85% cacao, but you can use whatever type you like. (I also made a batch with semi-sweet chocolate chips and that turned out great!)

In my opinion, chocolate and coffee go hand in hand, so I mixed in grounds and whole beans from FreshGround Roasting for extra coffee flavor and a bit of crunch (I recommend this Sumatra). If you don’t like the texture of eating whole coffee beans, feel free to leave that part out or substitute nuts or dried fruit. A pinch of sea salt at the very end balanced this sweet treat perfectly for a savory addict like me.

What are your favorite mix-ins for chocolate bark? I’d love to hear your ideas and recipes!

2. Melt the dark chocolate over a double boiler, stirring until the chocolate melts completely.

3. When the chocolate has melted, remove from heat and thoroughly stir in 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds.

4. Pour the chocolate onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate out evenly in a thin layer.

5. Press the whole coffee beans into the chocolate. Sprinkle the top with 1 teaspoon of the reserved coffee grounds and a pinch of sea salt (optional).

6. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes, or until chocolate has set. Break apart into pieces and serve.

Quick Tip: To press the coffee beans into the chocolate, sprinkle the beans on the chocolate and then lay another piece of parchment paper on top. Smooth the parchment paper over the chocolate and gently press down with your hands. This way, the coffee beans get thoroughly pressed into the chocolate, you don’t have to mess with a spatula and your hands don’t get dirty.

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Comments

Ok Sarah,
I desperately need your input… do you still use your French press for coffee? Is it the only way you make it any longer? Do you drink espresso? We have a drip coffee machine that does make good coffee but we just don’t drink enough to warrant a full size pot and I’m trying to clear up the clutter. Do you have any suggestions? My husband thinks he wants a Kuerig or something along those lines as he is all about making a single cup. I however do NOT like the waste it creates and am striving for the coffee I drank while in France. (it was delicious… but i’m afraid much of it had to do with the coffee itself. i like a full bodied coffee but do NOT like the bitter or acid and have to watch the caffeine. im getting old… caffeine keeps me awake any longer.) This is going to be a Christmas present… i think my in-laws will pitch in as well. Thank you so very much!! I really do appreciate all the help you can offer!!
Thanks,
Peggy

Hi Peggy,
I’m so glad you asked that! I’ve actually completely done away with my drip coffee pot, even when we have a crowd of people over. If I’m making 1-2 cups of coffee, my favorite way to brew is with a pourover. If I am brewing for more people than that, I use a Chemex (I have the 10 cup size). I also like the French Press, but don’t brew with that all the time. It makes a much richer, heavier coffee which can be great, but not something I want all the time (that’s just my personal preference – I know others who use a French Press all the time and love it). Any brewing method you use that is more of a manual method is typically better for regular coffee (e.g. French Press, Chemex, pourover). In my opinion, machines just can’t replicate the quality brewing that a person can do (espresso machines are the exception to this rule). If you were only going to have 1 brewing method in your house, without any hesitation, I’d buy a Chemex. It’s known for making a fantastic, smooth coffee that isn’t bitter. You can brew 1 cup or multiple, it’s definitely cheaper than a drip machine or Keurig and the natural Chemex filters eventually decompose (paper takes a while, but definitely better than a plastic K-cup). Here’s a link to view these brewing methods: http://freshgroundroast.com/collections/brewing-2
I hope that helps and I’m sorry if I gave you way too much information! I love talking coffee so please feel free to email any more questions to me at sarah@offbeatandinspired.com!
P.S. To answer your espresso question, yes, I do drink espresso but don’t have a machine in my house. That’s one thing I’m saving up for!

Hey, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues.
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I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, amazing blog!

Hi there! Welcome! So glad you found us! We're Tiffany and Sarah, and we do a bunch -- cooking, baking, styling, illustrating, photographing, adventuring, you name it! Some call our interests random, but we prefer offbeat -- and we're sharing the love and inspiration one story, one recipe, one photo at a time! Our mission is to inspire the adventurous creative in you -- to prove that you're not limited to one thing, and that if you have a passion or dream to try something new, you should go after it...like, yesterday. So here's to living creatively!